Climate Change - Earth Discover

An artist's depiction of a "hot Jupiter," one of the most frequently discovered types of exoplanets near our solar system. In about a billion years, as the Sun continues to evolve and heat up, Earth's oceans will evaporate, transforming our planet into a "hot Earth."

~1 Billion: The Future of Earth’s Oceans – Evaporation in a Brighter Sun

As the Sun gradually brightens, Earth will experience rising temperatures leading to the evaporation of oceans and eventually transforming into a dry, desert world, potentially rendering it uninhabitable within a billion years

An artistic representation of Earth during the last glacial maximum of the current ice age, approximately 2 million years ago. Could this be a glimpse of Earth's future, possibly 50,000 years from now?

~50,000: The Future of Ice Ages – Analyzing Earth’s Climatic Changes

The onset of the next glacial period in our current ice age may be delayed due to minimal orbital changes and rising CO2 levels, potentially marking the end of the Quaternary ice age

A 1942 photo showing smoke billowing from a US World War II production factory.

2013: The Climatic Impact of Rising Atmospheric CO2 Levels

Atmospheric CO2 levels have soared since the Industrial Revolution, exceeding 400 ppm and causing a significant rise in Earth's temperature, thereby accentuating climate change concerns

A poster from the "green energy" company RENERGY illustrating the various ways people leave their "carbon footprint" in the Earth's atmosphere.

2007: Understanding and Managing Carbon Footprints

The carbon footprint concept, vital for understanding environmental impacts, measures direct and indirect carbon emissions from human activities, aiding in global efforts to tackle climate change

A 2017 photograph of a lush boreal spruce forest covered in moss in Sweden.

1992: The Vital Role of Boreal Forests in Global Ecology

Covering a vast area in the northern hemisphere, boreal forests or taiga, play a crucial role in global climate regulation due to their significant carbon storage, while also presenting challenges and opportunities in sustainable resource [...]

Scenic trails winding through the high-altitude tundra environment of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado.

1992: Exploring the Tundra Biome – Ecology and Global Significance

The tundra biome, spanning Arctic, Antarctic, and alpine regions, is crucial for climate studies due to its permafrost and unique biodiversity, underscored by international conservation efforts

The Earth's atmosphere functions somewhat like a transparent greenhouse, allowing sunlight to enter and warm the surface, but trapping heat as it exits, thereby warming the atmosphere.

1896: Understanding the Greenhouse Effect – From Fourier to Arrhenius

The Greenhouse Effect, crucial for Earth's habitable climate, was demystified by Joseph Fourier and Svante Arrhenius, who linked it to atmospheric gases and hinted at human-induced climate change

Clear-cut and deforested jungle in the Amazon River basin, Brazil.

c. 1855-1870: The Impact of Deforestation on Our Planet

Deforestation, exacerbated by the Industrial Revolution, has led to significant environmental consequences, including soil erosion, biodiversity loss, and climate change. The urgent need for sustainable deforestation practices is highlighted by the rapid decline of tropical [...]

Spanish artist Francisco de Goya's painting "The Snowstorm" was created in the late 1780s during a period of colder-than-average temperatures spanning several centuries, often referred to as the Little Ice Age.

c. 1500: Understanding The Little Ice Age

The Little Ice Age, spanning from the 14th to 19th centuries, marked a period of cooler temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere. Notable for its significant climatic shifts, it led to expanded glaciation, longer winters, and [...]

A comparison between ice coverage in the northern hemisphere during the last glacial maximum around 20,000 years ago (top) and contemporary ice coverage in the northern hemisphere (bottom).

c. 10,000 BCE: Understanding the Quaternary Glaciation – The Current Ice Age

The Quaternary glaciation, the current ice age, began around 2.6 million years ago. Our present interglacial period, the Holocene epoch, started about 12,000 years ago. Influenced by Milankovic cycles and other factors, this period has [...]